A variation to an APS application process has emerged: asking for a resume that emphasises how your experience, knowledge, and job-specific skills demonstrate why you are the ideal candidate as outlined in the candidate information kit.
How might you turn your resume into a pitch for a job? First, you need to be clear about what the job requirements are – the level of seniority, the responsibilities, and the requirements of an ideal candidate. This information then informs your resume.
Three changes may help.
- Your profile or career summary.
This comes after your contact details at the start of your resume. It is the first important piece of information a quick reader looks at. If you are unfamiliar with this resume entry, read the article How to write a career profile.
When adjusting your resume to show you are an ideal candidate, make sure your career profile highlights the asked-for requirements.
2. Roles and responsibilities
The roles you list and the responsibilities for each one, need to provide information about experience and skills that match the requirements of the ideal candidate. While this might not always be possible, it could be that your current listings say little that matches the ideal candidate.
3. Results and outcomes
For each of the recent roles listed, make sure the results you delivered reflect those expected of the ideal candidate. If you have not been including results in your resume, then take a look at the article Transforming your resume into results statements.
It doesn’t matter what level of job you hold, supervisors and managers expect you to deliver results, outputs, outcomes. The more senior your role, the more important this becomes. One of the capabilities in The Integrated Leadership System, is Achieves Results, so it would be wise to include some in your resume.